1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to fan frames, and more particularly to a new and improved fan frame for use in connection with a heat dissipation fan which typically intends for dissipating heat from electronic components.
2. Description of Related Art
A typical heat dissipation fan generally comprises a fan frame, and a stator and a rotor received in the fan frame. The fan frame incorporated in the heat dissipation fan generally includes a bracket, a central tube and a plurality of ribs. The central tube locates in a center of the bracket for installing the rotor and the stator thereon. The ribs interconnect the central tube with the bracket for fastening the central tube in place. The bracket, the central tube and the ribs are integrally molded to form the fan frame.
However, such integrally molded structure of the fan frame has many disadvantages. As the fan develops, some parts of the fan frame of the fan need special features to meet special requirements; for example, the central tube and the ribs require a high strength while the bracket does not. However, because the bracket, the central tube and the ribs are integrally molded, the fan frame needs to be wholly molded by a material having a high strength to satisfy the special requirement of the central tube and the ribs. This results in a high cost of the fan frame. When some parts of the fan frame are damaged and need to be replaced, the whole fan frame must be replaced due to the integrity of the fan frame, which results in a high maintenance cost for the fan incorporating the fan frame. Additionally, a fan which incorporates a fan frame having a large air inlet can produce a large amount of airflow, and a fan which incorporates a fan frame having a small air outlet can produce a high air pressure. However, when there is a requirement to replace a fan with a large amount of airflow with a fan with a high air pressure or vice versa, the original fan must be totally discarded; this also increases the cost.
What is needed, therefore, is a new fan frame of a heat dissipation fan which can overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages.